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2022-23 BOYS' BASKETBALL PREVIEW: Cougars look to push past inexperienced tag, hold on to county title
After finishing 13-13 in head coach Vince Brooks’ first season, North Putnam increased its win total the past two years, finishing 19-5 in the 2021-22 and runner up in the WIC with a 9-1 record.
The Cougars retained their Putnam County Classic title as well and won 13-straight games during the season but were unable reach a sectional final for the third-straight season, falling to eventual champions Southmont in the semifinal round.
As with other schools in the county, a seven-man strong senior class departed after last year, leaving large holes all over the floor with only limited amounts of experience returning ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.
The Cougars have two players returning with significant playing time last year in sixth man Brayden Monnett (4.1 ppg), the only senior on the squad, and junior starter Nolan Hackleman (5.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg).
Beyond the pair will be a collection of juniors who saw spot minutes during the season backed by a large underclassmen group bolstered by seven freshmen joining the ranks.
“This year’s team will be a very different make up, led by just one senior and five juniors,” Brooks said. “Having graduated four starters and only returning 13.2 points per game, there’s a lot of opportunities for underclassmen from last year’s 13-6 JV team to step up and compete for varsity minutes.”
Next to Hackleman are juniors Mason Garriott (2.1 ppg), Matt Farrington, Brady Barber and Jaylen Windmiller, all of whom saw time on the floor, sometimes getting the call in crunch situations during varsity contests.
Sophomore Kaden Helderman will see some varsity minutes with fellow sophomores Liam Sullivan, Nolan Augusta and Braxton Woodall starting the year in JV roles.
While the reserves of last year had a solid season to build off of, Brooks said the returning squad members had to work hard in the summer to offset what was a subpar shooting period, an area the squad needed to improve in with several strong shooters having graduated in the likes of Aaron Pickel, Zack Huff and Ellis Lyons.
“Our three-point shooting was way below our standard this summer,” Brooks noted. “Our guys have been working hard at that and have really improved.”
Freshman Isaac Pickle will lend the varsity squad needed length at 6-6 and will see some JV minutes as well along with classmates Chase Barber, Griffen Starr, Jayce Monnett, Christian Kramer, Stone Wass and Braxton Asher.
While the returning players had their struggles during the summer, Brooks said the newcomers were quickly adapting to the demands of the program and were already showing their strengths in putting up points.
“The freshmen have made incredible developments in their shooting,” Brooks said. “At our intrasquad scrimmage, we held a three-point contest where three of the final four contestants were freshman.
“They have also done a great job of keeping their head above water as there has been a lot of learning and adapting to the speed and style of how we play.”
North Putnam returns to the Monrovia Holiday Tournament this winter in the only schedule change for the new season, one in which Greencastle joins the rest of the Putnam County schools in the Southmont Sectional at the end of the year.
Growing pains are inevitable for a squad that has four varsity starting spots to fill and roles off the bench that will need to be filled in turn but Brooks said there was an air of excitement about the group and what the returning group and newcomers would bring to the table.
“The benefit of a roster full of new varsity players is that they have so much room to grow,” Brooks said about the group. “It has been a lot of fun watching this team grow in selflessness and skill.
“Our staff is excited about the continued growth and possibilities ahead.”